


Day Two: Income

by sparrowhaven



Series: Final Fantasy 14 Writing Challenge March 2021 [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: 31 Days Writing Challenge, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Gen, dual warrior of light AU, nothing formal just something i'm challenging myself with
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:34:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29816754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparrowhaven/pseuds/sparrowhaven
Summary: Part of a Writing Challenge I made up for myself!While she had many a question for all of the more senior members for her first visit to the Waking Sands, there was one that stuck around in her mind even after having gotten familiarized with the other Scions. After wrestling with her curiosity for days, she finally couldn't take it any longer. Larahadto find out the answer:Howdidthe Scions of the Seventh Dawn pay for all of this?
Series: Final Fantasy 14 Writing Challenge March 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190222
Kudos: 4





	Day Two: Income

Lara had been very impressed when she first visited the Waking Sands. On the outside, the headquarters of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn appeared to be an ordinary building by the docks of Vesper Bay. She’d assumed, like many do, that it was a place used for storage for the various ships that frequented the harbor. Being led down the stairs into its basement, however, led to a series of corridors and rooms where the Scions conducted their work in helping the city-states of Eorzea fight the primal menace. A clever bit of architectural subterfuge, for all that the location was something of an open secret for the Grand Companies of Eorzea. 

While she had many a question for all of the more senior members for her first visit, there was one that stuck around in her mind even after having gotten familiarized with the other Scions. After wrestling with her curiosity for days, she finally couldn’t take it any longer. Lara _had_ to find out the answer:

How _did_ the Scions of the Seventh Dawn pay for all of this?

—-

Thancred was the first person Lara asked. The decision was made more because he was the first person she encountered on her next visit then any planning on her part. When given the question he froze for a moment before letting out a hearty laugh. “That’s not something I took you to be concerned about. You’re a bit young to be thinking about finances.” 

She huffed and ticked off her points on her fingers. “We’re in a secret underground base, next to a somewhat busy port, where trade happens all the time. Oh, _and_ we’re an organization that’s actively fighting primals. Excuse me for wanting to know how we keep a roof over our heads.”

Still chuckling, he held up his hands in mock surrender. “Point well taken. I’m not exactly sure how the others contribute, but I have my *own* methods for acquiring what the Scions need.” Thancred casually ran a hand through his white locks, ending the gesture with a side look and a smirk. Lara groaned and put a hand over her face. She didn’t need the Echo to know what he was implying. 

“Right. Okay. That’s _one_ method.” She muttered as she turned and deliberately walked away from him. 

Thancred blinked a couple of times at the stark rejection, but he smoothly transitioned into a shrug. “I suppose not everyone’s a fan of more subtle means,” He said to himself.

—-

The next person Lara asked was actually two people at the same time. After all, where Papalymo was, Yda wasn’t far behind. The lalafell pondered the question aloud, tapping at his chin. Instead of waiting for his answer, his hyur companion burst in with her own. “Oh! I do a lot of heavy lifting and such when Papalymo is busy with his research!”

“Yda, the entirety of the Waking Sands doesn’t need to hear your answer,” Papalymo chided with a frown. 

“O-oops.” Yda poked her fingers together, abashed. 

“No, it makes sense,” Lara didn’t know the two nearly as well as Roger did (though he did mention that Papalymo was the more grumpy of the two), but she still tried to smooth things over so that no one’s feelings would be hurt. “You might as well make use of your time while he’s distracted, right?”

“Yeah, exactly!” It was as if Yda hadn’t been told off at all, so quickly did she go back to her usual excitement.

Shaking his head, the lalafell caught Lara’s eye before he spoke. “While yes I’m often inundated with research for the Scions, the two of us also make a decent amount of coin by ridding the Twelveswood of infestations of pests when there isn’t an adventurer handy.” 

“Though we haven’t had to do that recently, what with Roger being around,” Yda added.

“Indeed, many have sought _him_ for help instead of us.” Papalymo nodded. 

Lara did a bit of mental math. Something still didn’t add up. “But even what you two do can’t fully pay for us to use the Waking Sands as a headquarters…”

The two companions exchanged a look (how one is able to do so when one is much taller and also wearing a mask, Lara didn’t know). Evidently something was said in that look because the two of them shrugged at the same time. 

“There are more important things to focus on. _Where_ we set up is less important than our work,” Papalymo said matter-of-factly.

“Maybe someone else will know?” Yda suggested.

Not having anything else to ask, Lara nodded and moved on.

—–

Y’shtola had just entered the underground part of the Waking Sands when Lara bounded up to her to ask the question next. The miqo’te woman closed her eyes as she thought on it, letting her tail swish from side to side. Eventually, she nodded and opened her eyes again. “I cannot speak for the others, but I’ve found myself offering my services as a healer when the need arises. Although for the most part I offer healing regardless of reward.”

Lara nodded at her enthusiastically. “Right! Of course! But how _does_ the Waking Sands get paid for?”

Before the older woman could respond, another voice suddenly came from behind the young Warrior of Light. “Dost thou not wish to ask myself thine question?” Lara jumped and turned, only to sigh in relief at the sight of Urianger. The hooded and goggle-clad elezen nodded with a head turn, which took the younger woman a moment to realize meant that he wanted to be answered first.

“Uh, no not really?” Lara shrugged with an awkward smile.

It was hard to tell if he was disappointed with the answer or just his usual serious self. Having a face that rarely showed emotions _and_ goggles covering his eyes really clouded any insight Lara could have gotten into his inner self. “May I ask why that beeth thine answer?” Even his tone of voice gave away nothing.

“Well…” She glanced back at Y’shtola, who had folded her arms but also didn’t give any hints to what she was thinking. Her gaze went back to the red-tinted glass covering Urianger’s own. “I don’t _see_ you outside of the Waking Sands. At all. I figure that you do research or other stuff that needs to be here to get done. Nothing to do with money at all.”

“I see.” Urianger answered flatly.

“Not that that’s bad!” Lara flailed her arms in front of her. Her face was starting to turn pink. “I’m sure you do a whole lot of important stuff! Just! Not in the field!” Y’shtola had by then put a hand over her mouth and Lara felt herself grow even warmer as the pink deepened into red. “Okay thanks I’ll see you later bye!” She turned on a heel and ran towards the solar before she could put her foot in her mouth any further.

What she didn’t end up witnessing was Y’shtola poking Urianger in the ribs and him flinching back from her touch. She also didn’t hear her mentor tell him, “That was mean-spirited. You didn’t need to sneak up on the poor girl, and you didn’t need to give the impression that you were at all upset when you clearly weren’t.”

His reply of, “I knoweth not of what thou speaketh.” Was also unheard.

—–

Minfilia was confused by Lara’s unannounced presence but she welcomed the girl to chat. After some much needed small talk (in order to calm herself down), the young Warrior of Light asked her the same question she’d asked the others. Minfilia gave a small smile before she answered. “Alas, I’m so often waylaid by the responsibilities of running the Scions, I’ve hardly the time to worry about finances. I had to delegate the task early on.”

“So who _does_ take care of them?”

“Tataru, of course.”

The realization dawned in Lara’s head and she smacked her hand to her face with a groan. “Why didn’t I _think_ about that…” She grumbled under her breath. Minfilia laughed, but it was polite enough that Lara didn’t feel offended by it. She kind of deserved it for doing such a run around when the real answer would have been given in moments. But honestly who would have thought the klutzy lalafell would even _have_ it?

As if reading her mind, the older woman replied, “I know Tataru doesn’t seem the type, but she’s quite shrewd with numbers. She’s entirely _why_ I don’t need to worry about them myself.”

“Thanks anyway, Minfilia.” 

“‘Twas my pleasure.”

There was only one last person to talk to.

—–

“You reaaaaally wanna know?” Tataru rocked back and forth on her feet, giving the girl a sly smirk.

Lara huffed. “I’ve been running around asking everyone else the same question all day. Of course I do.”

Giving a casual shrug, the lalafell woman said, “Okay, but you’re not going to like it.” After a dramatic pause, she revealed, “Member fees.” 

“What?”

“Yeah, we charge member fees. Everything else that people bring in from odd jobs helps, sure, but this way we can keep ourselves afloat in the lean times.” Tataru snapped her fingers and rummaged through the books she kept on the table in the “lobby” of the Waking Sands. “That reminds me, you’re a full member now so you have to start paying your fees.”

“It shouldn’t be that bad, I only just got started.”

After flipping through a few pages, Tataru made a sound of discovery and pointed at the unreadable entry there. “Actually, you owe 100,000 gil.”

“WHAT?!”

“We can take instalment payments, but the interest’s gonna add up.”

She was kidding, of course, but she didn’t reveal it until Lara had fretted about the overinflated fees for a moment or two.

**Author's Note:**

> The real answer to why you couldn't think of going to Tataru first, Lara, is because it's funnier that way. 
> 
> And also this was an excuse to get a writing feel for the other members of the Scions but well...


End file.
